Jonathan Kuminga has already proved Warriors right after only one preseason game

There's been significant contrast in the outlook on Jonathan Kuminga's game over his first four years in the league, often leading to tension surrounding his role and most recently, of course, the long free agency stalemate between the Golden State Warriors and their young forward.

Kuminga has wanted to be the kind of volume scorer that defines many of the stars around the league, yet the Warriors have viewed his best impact as taking on many of the other aspects that can prove so critical to winning.

The 22-year-old might have proved the Warriors right in their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, with Kuminga providing an unusual but significant performance that will hopefully be a sign of things to come.

Jonathan Kuminga brought positive impact in different ways on Sunday

Kuminga has often been characterized as an extremely talented but erratic scorer in his career to date, yet his first up performance on Sunday belied that reputation in his just under 15 minutes off the bench.

The former seventh overall pick got better as the game went on and was a big part of Golden State's 24-8 run early in the third-quarter that broke the contest open. Yet his impact during that stretch didn't come through his scoring, but rather his playmaking as he delivered some gorgeous passes in transition to teammates cutting to the rim.

Kuminga had four assists in less than 15 minutes, which combined with his six rebounds and a block, provided a multi-faceted game that Steve Kerr and the Warriors have so often wanted from him over recent years.

It was rather unusual to see Kuminga make a concerted effort to find his teammates, particular in moments where he may have had a right to hunt his own shot. That's not to say his scoring talent wasn't on display, having produced a highlight in the first-half when he cleverly got Deandre Ayton in the air and finished underneath.

That was one of only three field-goal attempts for Kuminga in the game, having knocked down one of his two attempts from beyond the arc. While fellow 2021 lottery pick Moses Moody was the star, and Al Horford's excellent debut provided a big talking point, Kuminga quietly went about his work effectively.

It only took one preseason game for the blueprint to be established on how Kuminga can have a major impact and fulfil what Kerr and the Warriors have been asking of him. It's a positive start after such a tumultuous offseason, but it's also one preseason game and it remains to be seen whether it can be done on a consistent basis going forward.